The present invention relates to apparatus for reaming pipe.
Several types of pipe reamers have been proposed in the past. Most of these remove burrs from the inside of metal pipe which are created by cutting or drilling the pipe. Such past reamers usually include a movable cone-shaped reamer that is advanced into the pipe to remove the burr. These reamers are generally heavy and require a great deal of space in which to operate.
When plastic pipes are installed, they are typically joined by gluing the spigot of one end of a pipe into the bell of another. If one of the installed pipes breaks, either the whole system must be replaced, or the break must be cut out so that a particular size connector may be inserted. If the pipe break is very large or inconveniently located, the latter operation is precluded.
One advantage of the instant invention is that it allows removal of a section of broken pipe, reaming glue and the spigot of the broken pipe out of the bell of the adjacent pipe, and inserting a new pipe in place of the broken one.
The reamer has an additional advantage of fitting over the bells of pipes including Y-branch or T-branch joints.
The reamer of the invention includes a housing having a cavity communicating with the lower end of the housing. A downward facing annular shoulder is formed about the circumference of the cavity. A rotatable shaft mounted on the housing has its longitudinal axis substantially aligned with the cavity. A reamer is mounted on the end of the shaft for reaming the bell of a pipe abutted against the shoulder.
Other concomitant advantages will become clear as the following detailed description and drawings are considered.